Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD) Project Archive

On May 3, 2010, the California Research Bureau hosted a roundtable discussion regarding Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD). The meeting will took place on Monday, May 3, 2010 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the California Research Bureau conference room at 900 N St., Room 340, in Sacramento.

Participants in the roundtable included women who have struggled with PMAD, service providers from community-based, county and state agencies, mental health and women's health experts, legislative staff, foundation leaders, and others. Participants were invited based on their experience and expertise in this field.

The purpose of the meeting is to identify opportunities to improve outcomes for Californians struggling with PMAD. During the roundtable, participants were asked to:

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) affect between 10 percent to 25 percent of all pregnant women and new mothers. PMAD has also been shown to affect up to 48 percent of women living in poverty. The leading cause of death among new mothers is suicide. These heavily stigmatized and often overlooked disorders are treatable once identified, yet 50 percent of all PMAD sufferers are never identified.

While PMAD primarily affects women, men have also been shown to suffer from Paternal Post-Natal Depression. PMAD can have far reaching effects and devastating impacts not only on parental health but also can result in low-birth weights, premature delivery, irritability and jittery behavior in newborns for at least six months after birth. PMAD also has been linked to failure to thrive among newborns.

A folder was prepared for distribution at the roundtable that included an agenda for the discussion, a participants list, a resources list, and a resources CD including relevant articles and background material on PMAD. This archive represents a digital archive of the materials distributed.